Selective display



NOV. 10, 1931. Q PH|L|BERTI 1,830,960

SELECTIVE DISPLAY Filed March 19. 1930 I 244 swam;

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 v UNITED STATES CHARLES 1B. PHILIBERT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,

SELECTIVE DISPLAY Application filed March 19, 1930. Serial No. 437,000.

This invention relates to displays, and with regard to certain more specific features, to selective displays for card, or window, or

Y poster, or billboard advertising and the l ke. Among the several objects of the invent on may be noted the provision of a combination price and descriptive .poster or component part of a window display or billboard 1n which a certain number of different unit backgrounds are made as a predetermined set of pieces with which are adapted to cooperate selectively another set of price and/or descriptive pieces, these being arranged to provide a maximum of selectivity with a minimum number of parts which need be stocked by'a manufacturer thereof; the provision of a device of the class described which comprises a'composite unit when assembled, but which appears optically to be a one-piece unit, having a resultant minimization of disfigurementythe povision of a devlce of the class described which may comprise a whole per se or comprise a part of an assembled display; and the provision of a device of the class described which is exceedingly simple to make and use, avoiding confusion, but the effects of which are multifarious and which is economical and practicable, both from a manufacturing and a stock keeping standpoint. Other objects will be'in-part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements,features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claim. 40 In the accompanying drawings, in which are illustrated several of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig.1 is a plan view of a unit background Fig. 2 is a plan view of another unit background showing a modified design;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a series of selective price and/0r descriptive pieces;

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing selected members of the pieces shown in Fig. 3 as'applied to the unit background of Fig.1;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectiontaken on line 55 ofFig.1;p Fig. 6 showsa pair of modified descriptive pieces; and, I f

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the unit background of Fig. 2 having applied thereto the .descriptive pieces of Fig. 6 and certain of the price pieces of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1,

there is illustrated at numeral 1 a background blank cut from suitable material, such as paper orcloth, upon which is printed, lithographed or otherwise applied a background color scheme, which in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 comprises a suitable shape? with a printed word 5 which indicates the name of thing which is for sale; A dollar sign 7 in one formis also printed in j uxtaposition to a set of-indicia 9. The purpose of the indicia 9 isto accurately align and set j the price setting'numbers which will be referred to hereinafter.

For selectively receiving descriptive pieces, there are provided uncolored panels 11 and 13. These panels 11, 13 beinguncovered by color, presentthe's'ame white surface to. the eye that the cross section of the material comprising the display presents. This fact has a bearing on the novel effect which the invention produces.

In Fig. 3 are shown exemplary prices and/or descriptive pieces comprising a dollar mark 15 which, incidentally, is not used with the modification ofFig. 1, because the dollar mark is printed on the modification there shown. It is, however, used in connection with the form shown, and which will be described, in connection with Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 there also shown a series of large numbers17, comprising the ordinals 1 to 5 which, it is to be 'understood, are exemplary of all. of the ten ordinals to be made in this size. The larger ordinals are preferably to be used in connection with the dollar sign, although this is not absolutely necessary. 3

. Numeral 19 refers to ordinals 6 to Owhich then printed in place.

are representative of all of the ten ordinals in a smaller size, to be used preferably in connection with a cent sign 21, although it is to be understood that these small ordinals may be used in other connections. A decimal or period 23, as well as a vinculum 25, are also provided for properly setting off the ordinals to representdollar and cents, if this be desirable.

W'ith the indicia above described, are supplied descriptive pieces 27, 29 the former being representative of a series of, say six pieces provided for indicating the year that the product (in the present example a mo tor car) was manufactured. The piece 29 is exemplary of a series. describing types or models of the automobile. It is preferable that a dealer (or the like) be supplied with year numbers covering a range of about siX years and with say ten descriptive pieces 29 such as Sedan, Coach, and the like.

The pieces represented by Fig. 3;are not outlined but comprise blanks stamped from paper which has been provided with suitable colored surfaces. In the cases of the pieces 27 29 the letters and numerals are Glue or paste or the like is aflixed to the back of the pieces of Fig. 3, preferably at the time of manufacture, so that by merely moise tening these pieces they may be affixedto the device of Fig. 1

In Fig. 4 isshown a method of affixing a chosen set of price and/or descriptive pieces; for instance, the year piece 1927 has been setinto the panel 11 and the Sedan piece has been set into the panel 13. It will be noted that the colorless panels 11, 13 are slightly larger than the pieces 27 29 respectively. It will be appreciated that when paper or cloth or the like such as comprises pieces 27, 29 is cut, that a cross section 31 (Fig.5) is left which presents a white line to the eye in contrast to the color on the surfaces of said pieces 27 29. By leaving the margin 33 around the pieces 27, 29, this disagreeable thin white-line, Which is often ragged, is not apparent. There is only presented the pleasing border 33. In Fig. 4 is also shown the application of a chosen setof the ordinals 17. The use that is made of the indicia 9 is now apparent. They serve, both as alignment devices and as ornaments in pleasingly filling the optically dead spaces between ordinals of a numeral.

It willtbe understood that the small number of price and/or descriptive pieces shown and described in connection with Fig. 3, are representativeof all that a dealer needs to carry. For instance, he carries in one set four price pieces 15, 21, 23 and25; ten large ordinals 17; ten small ordinals 19; about six year pieces 27 and about ten model pieces 29.

This makes a total of only approximatelyflO. v

pr s n /o descr pt e pie e inasetas many background pieces need to be carried as there are a number of designs and/or automobiles desirable to carry stock for. For instance, in Fig. 2 there is shown another background piece for another automobile. This background piece has a diiferent arrangement ofcolor.

From the above .it will beiclear .that the manufacturer and/or dealer in this displa carries a minimum number of items whic providesza large number of combinations which may be effected. As an example, if stock be carried to advertise 60 cars of six diiferent yearly makes and 10 models, then 3600 combinations can be effected without takinginto account 999ordinal' changes. If the present system-werenot used the ;num-. ber of pieces required forthisnumber of combinations wouldbe prohibitively great.

Fig. 6 shows a modified form of the border around the yearand model pieces in which said border isconnec'. ed .to the pieces themselves, instead of .two. background pieces- In Fig. 2the. colored patches 35,37

for placement of the descriptive pieces 39, L1 respectively are-large and the Whitehorders 43, 45 respectivelyare .part of the pieces shown in Fig. 6. Hence when said pieces 39, 4.1 are applied asshown in Fig. 7,, then the white cross sections of the paper are .lost sight ofby. the eyein being impressedby said white borders, as in thecase of Fig.4. It will be understood that if the colorofthe cross section of the papenorlthelike is otherwise than white, that-rthe borders may be made such color. j p 1 Figs-2 and Tshow another feature, namely, that the indicia 9 may be used tov space twoordinal figuresby placing the ordinals directs ly thereover. Thedecorative effect of'the indieia isthus lost, but said'eflect is not so much required where the-two-lordinal ,price is used. This will be clear. by examination ofFigs. 4; and 7 In the Fig. 2=fO1tmthere is not printed the dollar sign. Thus it will be seen that the simplified group of four in-.

dicia 9 serve to indicatespacing for .both two, three and four .;nurneral prices, this-being done by providing at the same timeornamental features when it is necessary for the indicia to show. In thisacasethe dollar,

ponent parts in a design .on a large window or alarge bill board. Thus, at smalloutlay, otherwise uninteresting-data maybe given to the customer, with a maximum display .effect. l leretofore, because of the expense in making sni chees s. seal r newsman-1 automobile models and prices in mere unattractive lists. This invention provides for an attractive and attention commending listing at reasonable cost.

It is to be understood that this invention applies to other than automobile dealers. It comprises a system of design for ornamental, colored, display signs to be used for the promotion of the sale of merchandise or service on merchandise generally. For each class of business which is intended to be served there will be a set of signs, each bearing the name of principal things for sale, such as lard, beans, eggs, potatoes and the like. In

a given set the general dimensions, contour and colors will be the same. At a fixed place in each will be printed as the most prominent part of display the name of a commodity. But to provide for Various differences and qualifications which exist in this commodity,

which particular merchants have to ofier, two or more blank panels are made in the design to accommodate a variety of labels which go with the signs. These labels or pieces are furnished with a number of the most probable qualifications which the user 1 is apt to use, such as, when the sign is Eggs, Fresh country, Strictly fresh, Candied, Just received, et cetera. Throughout there 9 will be a fixed relation between all background pieces. In short the invention comprises a practicable plan for preventing the typing up of dead stock in signs.

In View of. the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accom panying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim March, 1930.

Display means comprising a fixed set of background blanks, a set of descriptive pieces, individual panels on said blanks having a color the same as the cross section of said pieces and having a larger area than said pieces, the background blanks outside of said panels and the faces of said pieces being different in color from the face of said panels and the cross section of. said pieces, and means for selectively attaching said pieces to the backgrounds at said panels.

In testimony whereof, I have signed In name to this specification this 17th day of CHARLES B. PHILIBERT. 

